The present invention relates to a developer solution and edge bead remover composition, more particularly to a liquid composition useful in the manufacture of integrated circuits, printed circuit boards, color liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, and color filters in developing treatment of an actinic ray-sensitive resist, or for removing undesired photoresist parts stuck to the periphery of a substrate.
During the manufacture of a color filter, a coating of a photoresist composition is applied to a substrate by various methods known in the art, such as dye method, printing method, electro-deposition, and pigment dispersing. The pigment dispersing compositions generally comprise a pigment dispersing agent, a suitable solvent, an actinic ray-sensitive resin and other additives. The substrate is subjected to pre-baking, and is subsequently exposed using a photomask. The unexposed region of the photoresist is then developed using a developer solution, thereby forming the desired pattern. There are many known development methods, including a dipping development method, a spray development method, and a puddle development method, etc.
After coating, pre-baking, and exposure of the color resist, the un-exposed region of the photoresist is dissolved and removed with the use of a basic developer solution. However, during the development process, film residue or scum deposition might remain on the substrate to adversely affect the accuracy of the photoresist pattern formed on the substrate. Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-10749discloses a developer solution composition comprising water, a basic compound, and an anionic surfactant. Use of the developer solution composition permits the formation of an accurately patterned photoresist layer without scum deposition. However, the developer composition has a poor defoaming characteristic and a poor dispersion stability with respect to a photoresist, and is only useful within a relatively narrow operating temperature range.
A photoresist composition is typically spun onto a silicon wafer or a glass substrate so as to be coated on a surface of the same. It is likely that the photoresist will undesirably stick to a peripheral part or edge side part or rear surface part of the substrate. As shown in FIG. 1, a substrate 11 is coated with a photoresist layer 12 by a known spinning technique. The photoresist layer 12 includes a peripheral part 13 undesirably stuck to a periphery of the substrate 11, and an edge side part 14 and a rear surface part 15 that are undesirably stuck to edge sides and a rear surface of the substrate 11. The undesired parts of the photoresist material on the peripheral part 13 or the edge side part 14 or the rear surface part 15 of the substrate become brittle during the pre-baking process, and easily peel off during transport of the substrate. The peeled-off chips of the photoresist material can have deleterious effects on subsequent processes. For instance, the photoresist chips can attach to the photomask in the subsequent exposure process, thereby resulting in an increase in the frequency of cleaning of the photomask. The peeled-off photoresist chips can further result in defects which are detrimental to the yield of LCD devices.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-69563 discloses a plurality of solvents for removing undesired photoresist material stuck to the peripheral part 13, the edge side part 14 and the rear surface part 15 of the substrate. Examples of the solvents include glycol derivatives, such as ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate, propylene glycol alkyl ether, and propylene glycol alkyl ether acetate; ketones, such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, cyclohexanone, and methyl butyl ketone; and ester, such as methyl lactate, ethyl lactate, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and butyl acetate. The solvents are used alone or in combination. However, the effect of the aforementioned solvents for removing the undesired photoresist material and reducing the scum deposition is not satisfactory. Apart of the undesired photoresist material still remains on the substrate. Moreover, the solvents are generally hazardous to the environment. The glycol derivatives are relatively toxic and are a source of environmental pollution. The ketones, such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone, generally have relatively low flash points and cause environmental pollution.
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a developer solution and edge bead remover composition which has an excellent developing and removing effect, which can be used for reducing scum deposition, which is low intoxicity and is environmental friendly, which has a high defoaming characteristic, which can be used at a relatively wide range of operating temperature, and which has an enhanced dispersion stability with respect to photoresist material.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a developer solution composition is provided for use in developing treatment of an actinic ray-sensitive resist. The developer solution composition comprises:
(A) water; (B) 0.01xcx9c5 wt % of at least a basic compound; and (C) 0.01xcx9c3.5 wt % of a non-ionic surfactant having the structure (I): 
wherein:
R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, aralkyl and halogen, and at least two of R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are aralkyl or aryl,
R6 is selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, and butylene,
R7 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, acetyl, alkyl, and aryl, and
n is an integer ranging from 6 to 23.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an edge bead remover composition is provided for removing undesired photoresist residue stuck to the periphery or a region of a liquid crystal display (LCD) substrate. The edge bead remover composition comprises: (A) water; (B) 0.5xcx9c15 wt % of at least a basic compound; and (C) 0.1xcx9c10 wt % of a non-ionic surfactant having the structure 
wherein:
R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and n are as defined above.